Senate laments non-implementation of resolutions by MDAs, threatens budgetary sanctions

Agencies accused of ignoring oversight, compliance requests

By Henry Umoru

ABUJA — The Senate has expressed concern over the failure of Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to implement its resolutions, warning that defaulting agencies could face budgetary and other sanctions.

The upper chamber said many MDAs routinely ignore its resolutions and fail to respond to requests for compliance updates, describing the trend as a disregard for the Senate’s oversight authority.

The position was taken on Wednesday during the presentation and consideration of the report of the Senate Committee on Legislative Compliance on the status of implementation of Senate resolutions between July 2023 and December 2025.

Presenting the report, Chairman of the committee, Senator Musa Maidoki Garba (APC, Kebbi South), said the review showed that many resolutions passed by the Senate were either delayed or ignored despite repeated follow-up by the committee.

He noted that implementation of Senate resolutions is often hindered because the Executive retains the final authority to direct their execution.

“Implementation of Senate resolutions is often delayed and sometimes ignored. The Executive retains the final authority to issue directives for the implementation of Senate resolutions.

“Many MDAs ignore the committee’s requests for compliance information, thereby disregarding the powers of the committee and the Senate in general.

“Some MDAs failed to implement Senate resolutions, especially those relating to road rehabilitation and disaster management, due to the non-inclusion of funds in the budget for project execution,” he said.

To improve compliance, the committee recommended that the Senate impose budgetary and other sanctions on agencies that fail to implement or respond to its resolutions.

The committee also highlighted several unresolved cases, including the Senate’s directive that the Federal Government compensate the family of two-year-old Eromonsele Omhonria, who was struck by a stray bullet during a National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) operation in Asaba, Delta State, in July 2023.

The Senate had earlier adopted the recommendation of its Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions directing the Federal Government to pay the family N200 million in compensation and mandating the NDLEA to fund the child’s medical treatment abroad.

According to Garba, the NDLEA has yet to facilitate the treatment.

“The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency is yet to address the medical treatment of the child shot in the eye by one of its officers due to its inability to access funds from confiscated and forfeited properties to facilitate treatment abroad,” he said.

The committee also faulted the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) for failing to comply with the Senate’s resolution directing the reinstatement of its former employee, Engr. Paddy Ukpe.

Garba further observed that some lawmakers contribute to implementation challenges by sponsoring motions without conducting adequate investigations, while some agencies directed to act lack the statutory powers to carry out the resolutions.

“Some agencies directed to implement Senate resolutions lack the requisite statutory powers to do so. Sponsors of motions often do not investigate matters thoroughly before seeking legislative action, while multiple prayers in motions directed at a single agency also affect effective implementation,” he added.

Among the agencies listed in the report were the Federal Ministries of Works, Health, Power, Petroleum Resources, Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Information, Environment and Solid Minerals Development, as well as the Department of State Services (DSS), Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Nigeria Revenue Service (NRS), Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA), Ecological Fund Office, Nigerian Railway Corporation, NDLEA, Federal Civil Service Commission and the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation.

In his remarks, Senate President Godswill Akpabio commended the committee for what he described as a comprehensive report and urged senators to study its recommendations carefully.

The report was subsequently adopted by the Senate through a voice vote.

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